Use of Availability Concepts in the Railway System

Volume 5, Number 2, January 2009 - Paper 1 - pp. 103 -118

BIRRE NYSTRÖM

Luleå University of Technology, SE 97187 Luleå, Sweden

(Received on June 21, 2008, revision available on December 03, 2008)

Abstract:

This paper explores and describes indicators related to availability in the railway system. Examples of indicators include train punctuality and condition of track. The paper presents losses to the stakeholders, measured by the indicators. Indicators in Banverket (Swedish Rail Administration) and railway literature are presented. Indicators used in the electric power industry are also presented, as these offer good analogies from which to develop additional railway indicators. The indicators found in the literature, but not in Banverket, include travel time variation, slack and wagons. Indicators found by analogy to the power industry concern passengers, traffic work not delivered and how to subtract the effects of adverse weather. A classification of availability indicators is also suggested.